How to use barcodes for automating remote learning. 

Learn how scanning tools help automate the remote learning experience.

The new normal for todays education community consists of remote learning with classmates and educators operating from @home environments.  And even with the automations provided by online learning systems (LMS), electronic forms, etc.  the unfortunate reality is that the adoption of the technology within the economic variations through most communities is very poor.  

Paper still rules in the classroom environment and distance learning complicates all educators environment.  The paper dilema persists and some considerations include:

• Hand sign off on documents to validate parental approvals or student participations is required across many disciplines
  • Content approvals allowing educators to show educational media
  • Field trip approvals
  • Medical and physhological profiling forms
  • Participation in testing or quizing
• Students are highly accustomed to paper based tests
• Teachers cannot be burdened with learning newer technologies as they demand simple tools adapting as closely to their current processes as possible.

 The ImageRamp™ distance learning solution offers a hybrid approach allowing more traditional paper-based practices to be incorporated through email or printed mail distribution means, to help the flow of information more efficiently and with simplicity.

A step by step approach

Step 1:  Educators create a standard template document that requires parental sign-off and other pertinent information.  This could include paper-based testing, field trip forms, surveys and other types of documents.  Any PDF form generating tool can be used to create these forms.

Step 2:  Using ImageRamp™ from their home office, the educator aligns with a database or text-based list of students or their parents email addresses.   Using a database provides the ability to manage the activity and help identify signoff compliance later in the process. Any invalid emails are flagged for correction, as the system helps to identify any exceptions as it processes jobs. 

Step 3:  QRCode barcodes are now added and a unique document created for each distinct user in the system.  The database then assigns the users to the newly created document and creates a new document event for later tracking as they are received back into the system.

Step 4:  Direct email and/or physical copies can be generated with each uniquely identified document.  If the users’ email is valid, an email is distributed.  If not, a physical copy is directed to the printer for physical mail delivery.  The target users name is included as to avoid sending to the wrong individual.

Step 5:  Upon receipt of the documents, the students or parents complete the forms, weather trip request requiring parental approvals, quizzes, or other documents. 

 Step 6:  The signed and completed form can be scanned by the student, photographed with a standard mobile phone, or physically delivered to the educator.  As each document is individually stamped, there is no chance for mix-ups or for students to have others send copies of their forms. 

Step 7:  The documents received by email are now processed through the system which validates the stamp against the source email address, to identify potential fraudulent reporting.  Those physically sent can be scanned in a daily stack with automatic separation occurring as barcode cover separators are encountered.

Step 8:  The database is updated with receipt time stamping and tools to allow the educators to track and manage delinquents. 

We are a Safe@Home partner, providing a distance learning platform to help ease the education community to the new normal of stay at home learning.  its proven paper-based workflows while adapting with common email and mobile technologies in everyday use.   Our key benefits include:

• Leverages everyday email and mobile phone technologies
• Aligns with many paper based workflows well established with education institutions
• Automated student management and email generation of unique classroom assignments, approval documents, quizzes and more
• Integrated printing and email allowing physical mail delivery to the identified students not wanting email transactions
• Automatic recognition of unique forms and alignment with the database entries